Quantitative Research Design Essay Example for Free

Quantitative Research Design Essay Business research is, arguably, founded on the study of social interactions within the realm of commerce and trade. Until recently, such research has seen staunch counter-position of two research paradigms: quantitative and qualitative, the first deriving from positivism, the latter from interventionism. Indeed, the positions taken by individual researchers vary considerably between those like Bryman (1988) who argues for a â€Å"best of both worlds† approach by suggesting that qualitative and quantitative approaches be combined to those of scholars like Hughes (1997) whom counteracts by stating that such technicist solutions underestimate the politics of legitimacy that are associated with the choice of methods. It is the purpose of this essay to analyze these two research frameworks highlighting the positive aspects as well as the flaws and limits, and highlighting the rise of what is often referred to as the â€Å"mixed† method. All of this will be seen within a business contest. Specifically, looking at the author’s proposed future research in the realm of commercial negotiations, the arguments presented will reflect this sphere of research. Quantitative and qualitative research are based on different philosophical approaches and methodologies. Quantitative research derives from neo-positivist philosophy which underlines the belief in the presence of an absolute truth as its core foundation. This perspective of seeing the world translates in the utilization of research approaches founded on scientific analysis through statistical elaborations and mathematical models. The qualitative approach by contrast, does not highlight the presence of absolute truths but rather truths which are dependent on the particular perspective from which a phenomenon is observed through. This off-course entails that qualitative research is undertaken primarily through the adoption of narrative and logical deduction. These differences appear encapsulated in Best Khan’s (1989: 90-90) statement: â€Å"Quantitative research consists of those studies in which the data concerned can be analysed in terms of numbers†¦Research can also be quantitative, that is, it can describe events, persons and so forth scientifically without the use of numerical data†¦Quantitative research is more open and responsive to its subject. † From a first glance, it appears clear that there are substantial differences between the quantitative and qualitative approaches. Indeed, the way data is obtained, the flexibility in methodological application, the objective and subjective nature of the results obtained, are just a few of the most evident points of contrast. Such contracts has resulted in what has been defined as the â€Å"paradigm wars† which has highlighted and emphasized the incompatibility of the two approaches. For a protracted period of time the quantitative approach has been seen the best form of research for two main sets of reason. Firstly, scientific progress in the last century has projected the notion of the scientific approach as the most apt for explaining the world around us. Secondly, the advent of the â€Å"information age† from the 1980’s has seen the ability of elaborating a vast amount of data electronically thus further promoting the scientific approach as the best method to adopt for research. Recently however, the divide between the quantitative and qualitative has diminished to the point of many scholars advocating a debate on the merits of a mixed research methodology utilizing the strengths of both schools of thought. Indeed, the quest for obtaining the best possible research result has seen a reconceptualization of research methods with an integration of the two main philosophies which may be used to converge and convalidate (defined as â€Å"triangulation†), refute data or indeed inform new paths of enquiry. Indeed, research papers today often contain statistical data derived from the quantitative methodology which is then presented and formulated in interviews which put the data into the â€Å"real-world† perspective. The integration of the two approaches also makes sense when one starts to look at the commonalities between them. Indeed, both approaches share the following characteristics: -Research project design -Identification of information -Information management -Analysis of data -Empirical observations There are many other characteristics which instead differentiate quantitative and qualitative research, but a growing group of scholars are now perceiving these differences as positive in that they may reinforce rather than detract from each other. This is often referred to as â€Å"triangulation† and I believe this to be of paramount importance within the context of business research. Indeed, just like the integrated approach, the business sphere also is a mixture and fusion of statistics, and â€Å"hard† financial data in conjunction with â€Å"softer† narrative explanations derived from interviews, and focus groups. Delving even more specifically into my proposed realm of research which centers around the commercial negotiation methodologies adopted in multicultural environments and frontier markets, the integrated approach is, in my opinion, the only approach capable of providing a true and accurate framework for developing such research. This claim is further upheld if one considers the eleven ways in which it is possible to combine qualitative and quantitative research methods: 1)Logic of triangulation in which the findings from one type of study can be checked against the findings from the other type as above highlighted; 2)Facilitation of qualitative research for quantitative research. In this instance the qualitative research informs the quantitative method by providing essential background information and a context; 3)Facilitation of quantitative research for qualitative research. In this occurrence quantitative research methodology helps to inform the qualitative one by providing a filter and narrowing down the subjects which merit further investigation. 4)Quantitative and qualitative approaches are combined into one thereby furnishing a more in-depth analysis. 5)Structure process.

The Dialectic of Desire in the Films of Nicholas Ray Essay -- Films Mo

The Dialectic of Desire in the Films of Nicholas Ray Nicholas Ray's films frequently address a competition between a 'father' and 'son' (whether literal or figurative filial relationship). More importantly, Ray has an ideological approach to these struggles. In his films, homosocial struggles are always supplanted by Ray's desired outcome of an idealized heterosexual coupling. That is, the threat of prolonged homosocial desire between his characters is usually eradicated by the death of one of the dueling men. The deus ex machina nature of the deaths implies that the resulting heterosexual coupling is somehow the way things "ought to be". In Bitter Victory and The Lusty Men, the women are clearly the people over whom the men fight in their struggle to establish a 'home' or security (with that woman). In Rebel Without a Cause, however, the male-male-female love triangle is complicated by the on-screen presence of a nuclear family that effectively literalizes Freud's Oedipal conflict. Before examining homosocial desire in specific films, I must first outline the Freudian principles that gave birth to the term "homosocial". According to Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick, Freud's Oedipal triangle is established at an early stage of life when a child attempts to situate itself with respect to a powerful father and a beloved, subservient mother (Sedgwick 22). As such, "homo- and heterosexual outcomes in adults [are] the result of a complicated play of desire for and identification with the parent of each gender: the child routes its desire/identification through the mother to arrive at a role like the father's, or vice versa" (Sedgwick 22). Richard Klein summarizes this argument as follows: In the normal development of the little boy's p... ...ti-war film; it was a private psychological duel. I liked the idea that the outcome of the mission was really nothing to do with how they performed it, but with what they felt about each other" (qtd. in Eisenschitz 293). 3. The title itself is indicative of the ensuing battle over the men's homosocial desires. 4. Tellingly, Horace McCoy, the second screenwriter of the film, was found by producers Jerry Wald and Norman Krasna in the RKO Studio's screenwriters' file under "masculine relationships" (Eisenschitz 176). 5. It is safe to assume that Plato has already fallen off the proverbial cliff. He, too, is alienated from his father-a wealthy man who has spent much of Plato's life off gallivanting with his wife, leaving Plato to be reared by a nurse and guardian. http://www.film.queensu.ca/Critical/PhelanCox.html The Dialectic of Desire in the Films of Nicholas Ray Essay -- Films Mo The Dialectic of Desire in the Films of Nicholas Ray Nicholas Ray's films frequently address a competition between a 'father' and 'son' (whether literal or figurative filial relationship). More importantly, Ray has an ideological approach to these struggles. In his films, homosocial struggles are always supplanted by Ray's desired outcome of an idealized heterosexual coupling. That is, the threat of prolonged homosocial desire between his characters is usually eradicated by the death of one of the dueling men. The deus ex machina nature of the deaths implies that the resulting heterosexual coupling is somehow the way things "ought to be". In Bitter Victory and The Lusty Men, the women are clearly the people over whom the men fight in their struggle to establish a 'home' or security (with that woman). In Rebel Without a Cause, however, the male-male-female love triangle is complicated by the on-screen presence of a nuclear family that effectively literalizes Freud's Oedipal conflict. Before examining homosocial desire in specific films, I must first outline the Freudian principles that gave birth to the term "homosocial". According to Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick, Freud's Oedipal triangle is established at an early stage of life when a child attempts to situate itself with respect to a powerful father and a beloved, subservient mother (Sedgwick 22). As such, "homo- and heterosexual outcomes in adults [are] the result of a complicated play of desire for and identification with the parent of each gender: the child routes its desire/identification through the mother to arrive at a role like the father's, or vice versa" (Sedgwick 22). Richard Klein summarizes this argument as follows: In the normal development of the little boy's p... ...ti-war film; it was a private psychological duel. I liked the idea that the outcome of the mission was really nothing to do with how they performed it, but with what they felt about each other" (qtd. in Eisenschitz 293). 3. The title itself is indicative of the ensuing battle over the men's homosocial desires. 4. Tellingly, Horace McCoy, the second screenwriter of the film, was found by producers Jerry Wald and Norman Krasna in the RKO Studio's screenwriters' file under "masculine relationships" (Eisenschitz 176). 5. It is safe to assume that Plato has already fallen off the proverbial cliff. He, too, is alienated from his father-a wealthy man who has spent much of Plato's life off gallivanting with his wife, leaving Plato to be reared by a nurse and guardian. http://www.film.queensu.ca/Critical/PhelanCox.html

John Locke and Thomas Hobbes Essay

John Locke and Thomas Hobbes were two important philosophers from the seventeenth century. The two were born nearly 50 years apart – Hobbes in 1588 and Locke in 1632 – and yet, they each managed to have a major impact on their time and our own. The philosophical viewpoints of Locke and Hobbes are, in most cases, in strict opposition of each other. There are certain points at which the theories of both men collide; however, their synonymous beliefs are exactly the point at which their theories begin to diverge again. John Locke is considered to be the first of the British Empiricists, who believed that in order to truly gain knowledge of a certain thing, any individual would first have to experience something from which they would gain that knowledge. He is thought to be one of the most influential Enlightenment thinkers and contributors to liberal theory. His writings influenced many other famous philosophers, such as Voltaire and Rousseau, as well as the American revolutionaries. The Declaration of Independence clearly shows his influence. Locke attended the Westminster School in London under the sponsorship of Alexander Popham, a member of British Parliament. He would later attend Christ Church at the University of Oxford. It was here that Locke became heavily interested in the works of Modern philosophers, such as Descartes. Locke and other Empiricists rejected the notion of innate ideas – that is, the belief that human beings are born with ideas that are â€Å"otherworldly,† or known to us before we enter this life. Locke indulged in a theory which he dubbed tabula rasa, or â€Å"blank slate† in Latin. Following this theory, an individual would be born knowing nothing, and would therefore, only learn and gain knowledge by living and experiencing many things in their everyday life. Thomas Hobbes was raised by his uncle, Francis, as were his three siblings. He attended the Westport Church at age four for education, and then moved to the Malmesbury school, and further, onto a private school kept by a man named Rober Latimer, who was a graduate of Oxford University. Hobbes later attended Hertford College, a constituent college of Oxford University. He became fast friends with the son of William Cavendish, 3rd Earl of Devonshire, with whom he attended a grand tour in 1610. During the tour, Hobbes and Cavendish were exposed to European scientific and critical methods, which were in contrast to what Hobbes had been taught in his time at Oxford. Although Hobbes was closely linked to figures such as Francis Bacon, he did not become heavily involved in philosophy until after the year 1629. Hobbes lived during a time of great disturbance in Europe. The Thirty Years’ War lasted from 1618 until 1648. During this time, soldiers were rampant throughout villages, and they acted as they pleased –raping women, destroying entire villages and cities, and leaving any living beings who were lucky enough to live without shelter or sustenance. In consequence of the fact that Hobbes bore witness to these types of situations, his outlook on human nature was understandably somber. Locke and Hobbes were able to agree on one point: all men are equal by nature; yet, their reasoning for this statement varies. Like Hobbes, Locke believed that human nature allowed men to be selfish. However, in contrast to Hobbes’ theory that men will choose violence over peace, Locke insists that human nature is characterized by reason and tolerance. In his publication in 1651, Leviathan, Hobbes proclaimed that while man does voluntarily commit some acts of goodness, man is not, naturally, good. The object of those voluntary acts, he believed, was essentially to do some good to the individual who performed them. Locke’s outlook on human nature was somewhat optimistic. He believed that each individual person has the will and the freedom to think and do as they please, and that people are naturally inclined to live according to reason. Therefore, one can ultimately assume that Locke definitely believed in humans existing in harmony with one another. Locke believes that all men are created equal because they are born into a state of freedom that allows them to be equal; Hobbes believes that all men are equal because they are all equally despicable. Both Hobbes and Locke believed that there was a sort of â€Å"social contract† between individual citizens and the ruling government. This Leviathan, as Hobbes proposed, would define the rights and duties of each party. Hobbes believed that once the contract was instituted, it would be irrevocable. No individual would be able to change their individual rights at a later time, and the government would ultimately have power over them from then on. Locke saw the agreement as less binding. Because he believed that each individual was born with certain natural rights that no other human being could revoke, the contract between the individuals and the state would always be conditional – meaning that individuals retained the option to withdraw their consent and preserve those natural rights whenever they saw fit. I believe that Hobbes and Locke both had ideas that were based on their own experiences in their lifetimes. Being a person that has come after both of them, I have had the chance to read and try to understand both viewpoints, and I can see where their opinions would differ, and speculate as to why. Even today, living conditions in certain areas differ greatly, and can have a dramatic effect on a person’s view of things. It is even quite possible for two neighbors to have opinions differing as greatly as Hobbes’ and Locke’s. Because the majority of Hobbes’ life was spent experiencing pain and anguish inflicted by other humans, he believed other humans to be evil. Locke did not see such wrongdoing in his time; rather, he saw a time of peace and prosperity. Therefore, he would not have assumed that humans were naturally evil beings. I think that we are lucky to have lived after so many great thinkers have. Both Hobbes and Locke proposed viewpoints that we are free to combine and contort, if we so choose, and we already have some of the thinking laid out for us by those men. Humans may or may not be naturally good beings; we probably will not be able to say for sure until we have left this world. However, we may not have had much to ponder if it were not for John Locke and Thomas Hobbes.

A Strong Case For Legalizing Marijuana - 1096 Words

Despite the strong case for legalizing marijuana there is very little favorable press from the mainstream corporate media. Media companies make most of their money from advertising revenues and that results in a carefully crafted agenda dependent upon not offending their corporate sponsors. Alcohol and pharmaceutical drugs are some the media’s heaviest advertisers which creates an implied business partnership because of their aligned corporate interests. In 2007 alone, drug companies spent $3.7 billion in direct-to-consumer advertising. The media must not bite the hand that feeds them, yet the popular notion of â€Å"liberal media bias† still exists. Yes, the majority of media outlets give favorable press for Democratic politicians, but the corporate media isn’t hard hitting, grassroots, or very liberal, for that matter. After all, the United States ranks 46th in the World Press Freedom Index, behind Romania and ahead of Haiti. The television news industry is now primarily driven by Fortune 500 companies that are focused on profits, not independent journalism. That wasn’t always the case as television news wasn’t looked upon for driving profits in its pioneer days. It was considered a loss leader for the major networks. â€Å"The interests of the government, interests of the corporations, and the interests of the news media have kind of melded together whereby, I think in many instances, the news media isn’t doing that good old government watchdog job that it used to do,† saysShow MoreRelatedEssay on What If Marijuana Became Legal?623 Words   |  3 Pages Legalizing medical marijuana would reduce crime rates all across the United States. Marijuana is a widely used drug and a lot of crime revolves around it. A lot of money is spent on marijuana, whether it is at a dispensary in Colorado or police officers spending large amounts of money on drug busts. Police officers want a strong relationship with the community they serve. Police want to catch real criminals who hurt real victims. It would save departments a lot of money because they are wastingRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized? Essay1474 Words   |  6 PagesMarijuana has always been a big deal in society, ever since it has become known as a street drug. In the current year of 2016, not only citizens abuse marijuana, Celebrities, professional athletes, and college students all abuse the substance for its benefits. We are becoming more aware how recently this year that marijuana has been legalized in ten countries and twenty five states in the United States of America. That is one half of our country that is able to use this substance. By legalizing marijuanaRead MoreMarijuana Has Always Been A Big Deal In Society, Ever Since1477 Words   |  6 PagesMarijuana has always been a big deal in society, ever since it has become known as a street drug. In the current year of 2 016, not only citizens abuse marijuana, Celebrities, professional athletes, and college students all abuse the substance for its benefits. We are becoming more aware how recently this year that marijuana has been legalized in ten countries and twenty five states in the United States of America. That is one half of our country that is able to use this substance. By legalizing marijuanaRead MoreMarijuana Legalization1424 Words   |  6 PagesLegalization of Marijuana Marijuana is the most common drug in America and all over the world. It is legalized in some countries, but most countries prohibit its use. It has proven medical abilities and was used for this purpose for a while before being federally criminalized. The United States has been debating on the legalization of marijuana with some states supporting the move and others against it. (10 Facts About Marijuana) Despite all these debates, the legalization of marijuana is the betterRead MoreLegalization Of Marijuana And Marijuana1633 Words   |  7 Pages8, 2016 Legalization of Marijuana Marijuana has a few different names that are commonly used in today’s society including weed and cannabis. Weed is smoked with joints, bongs, or pipes. Marijuana can also be mixed with foods usually brownies, cookies, and candy which are called edibles. The main chemical responsible for the high feeling is called THC but marijuana also contains over 500 chemicals. The chemical is found in resin produced by the leaves and buds. â€Å"Marijuana is the most commonly usedRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized? Essay1587 Words   |  7 Pages Legalization of Marijuana Marijuana is not a recent discovery, but the mysteries surrounding the controversial topic in question remains to be disputed since its prohibition. Classified as an illegal substance, cannabis has been restricted in Canada and around the world. Marijuana is a complex drug and its contradictory claims of medical purposes, and harmful destruction, fuel the debate on whether or not the legal constraints of consuming marijuana should be reconsidered. In consideration of academicRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized? Essay1265 Words   |  6 PagesMarijuana Legalize; Yea or Nay? Why is pot illegal? Kevin O’Leary an Entrepreneur, Investor, and TV Personality states, â€Å"You either make it illegal, in which case you support a huge underground economy, or you tax it within the limits people can afford.† The legalization of pot will give a wider access for medical use, it will give a boost to the economy, more effective criminal justice and law enforcement, and it has multipurpose value. The country is currently divided on the issue of legalizationRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized?1247 Words   |  5 PagesThe legalization of marijuana is a controversial topic within today’s society. It is commonly debated upon during election time. Many states are trying to legalize marijuana, while others are firmly against it. As people in the United States vote for their political leaders, they are also voting on whether or not to support bills such as those that legalize marijuana. There are several states that have already legalized recreation al use of marijuana such as Alaska, Colorado, Oregon, Washington, MaineRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized?1579 Words   |  7 PagesLegalize Marijuana Marijuana consumption has become a very prominent sub-culture within the United States with users including virtually everyone from teenagers to the elderly people. Some individuals use it because they enjoy the feeling they get from smoking or eating it, whereas others use it for medical reasons. Marijuana is starting to become decriminalized in most states, with Colorado and Washington having already made it legal for recreational use. Moreover, a handful of states throughoutRead MoreLegalizing Marijuan A Utilitarian Perspective1618 Words   |  7 PagesLegalizing Marijuana Legalizing Marijuana: A Utilitarian Perspective Whitney T. Hall SOC120: Ethic and Social Responsibility Tim Carter May 7, 2012 Legalizing Marijuana: A Utilitarian Perspective The legalization of marijuana in the United States remains a major issue and has caused much controversy due to opposing views. With the economy being in the state that it is, we need to utilize all available resources and set aside personal emotion regarding â€Å"smoking weed†. While some support decriminalization